More letters on Nagin's 'Chocolate City'

More examples from the avalanche of mail to NOLA about Mayor Nagin's speech:

Anna from 78750 writes:

I have just read the readers' comments concerning the Nagin speech and I feel the need to address the white people not from New Orleans who are saying that they will no longer make donations for New Orleans related charities or visit the city as a tourist. Please don't let the words of a politician affect your view of our city or our people. Especially as I believe Mr. Nagin is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

Unfortunately, racism, boundaries between groups, and racial tension have always existed in New Orleans - even back when you approved of the city. They were just more in the background and you didn't notice them.

Yes, we party together at Mardi Gras (whatever our race or other aspects of our identity) but there are real problems existing around the issue of race in New Orleans and these problems have only become more evident and more problematic since Katrina and the levee breaks.

To be honest, there actually are rumors among Black New Orleanians that the people "Uptown" are against them. I know lots of wonderful people who live or lived Uptown - Black and White people - and few of them are racist but I've heard these rumors passed around among New Orleanians in Texas. As a white New Orleanian, I have actually heard some other white New Orleanians comment that "it is good that the poor are gone" or "I hope they don't reopen the projects" and it has made me uncomfortable wondering if they are glad that the city's African American population has by and large not returned to the city.

Mayor Nagin no doubt hears these comments from Black New Orleanians rightfully and painfully wondering if they are welcome in their own city. I think the Mayor was trying to comfort these people who feel so hurt. But he definitely went wrong and stoked the fires of racial tension instead.

Please don't hold this against we who love our city or against our beautiful city itself. New Orleans has always wanted to be loved. That's why we painted our houses so beautifully and let all those wild tropical plants grow like crazy. Of course, we appreciate your help more than we can ever say! We New Orleanians are not C. Ray Nagin

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Darby from Temple Hills, MD writes:

The past few days and events in New Orleans have truly upset me, but it's not why you might think. I love my city and the uniqueness of the culture, but their are very ugle things about New Orleans, as well. And many of those ugly things came out this past week. In a celebration that was meant to unify the black community in New Orleans, a shootout ensued shortly after the second line procession ended. When I first read about that, I was angry and upset that people in my community would take a perfect opportunity to stand for something and ruin it. But, it seems there was no real outrage in the city until the mayor spoke that Monday. Whatever your feelings may be towards what he said, the fact of the matter is that he spoke the truth. This city is filled with many different cultures, but demographically before Katrina it was a majority black city. It is no longer.

I don't think that it was offensive for the mayor to attempt to reassure the black people in the community that they are still wanted here. What I do take offense to is everyone taking his words out of context and not looking at the purpose behind his statements.

His purpose was two-fold: to reassure a community that feels it is being displaced due to the circumstances after Katrina and to convict that community as well. And along the lines, a message that was targeted to the black community in an effort to build morale and to stem some kind of personal responsibility to inact change, transformed into a perceived hate-spouting speech. Never did he say, other cultures would not be in the city. For it would not be New Orleans without this strange interaction with cultures that we have. But is it completely wrong for the mayor of a majority black city to pronounce that the city will once again be majority black?

I don't think so. I think that what the mayor did was make everyone in this city uncomfortable, because he acknowledged that the big elefant everyone was trying to ignore was still in the room even if you didn't talk about it. The truth is that the racial relations in New Orleans were a problem before Katrina. They've gotten worse since. This city has become extremely divided in an us against them mentality and most of the black citizens of New Orleans have not felt welcome home since the tragic days of Katrina. That is a problem. And before we all go out spouting hateful words about our mayor and his use of certain words during the speech, I think everyone needs to take a step back and really ask yourself... why are you really mad?

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Penny Johnson of New Orleans writes:

As an African woman I do not agree with the way Nagin said it but I understand. The city has always been divided. I say that because the communities that are predominantly black that they should be concentrating on, they are not -- the housing projects,eastern new orleans and the lower ninth ward. Nagin said it stupidly, but if you read between the lines I do understand his point. We should be a city as a whole but we are not. And it isn't just Nagin, it is the city counsel and the governor and the president... So when we cry racist, nothing is being done so nagin made a stupid racist remark all of the white people can get on the internet and write in. When the poor people were writing to come home no one said anything, but when Nagin got in front of the national media and talked stupid, all the white people in the world have the nerve to get insulted...We were the ones that should have been insulted.
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Brian Doherty of Chesapeake Beach writes:

Please go. It's time now.

I'm not going to add to the voices expressing righteous rage at your comments about a "chocolate city." I guess I just wasn't built with a "righteous indignation" setting.

I mean, I think I can see how a ridiculous comment like that could come out. You've clearly withstood an amount of stress that a miniscule fraction of us have ever had to face. That kind of stress can result in odd behavior.

I can also see where a critical mass of stories in the media about the long-term prospects for New Orleans portending a much more gentrified demographic profile could lead to such an outburst. I'll be the first to admit that stories/rumors/innuendos of government/industry concocted schemes to re-populate the city with white folks disturbed me -- and I'm neither a New Orleans resident, nor an ethnic minority. So, yeah, I could see the shear weight of the madness, the stress, the shock, and the fear of forces at work beyond one's control driving someone to say or do something that under normal circumstances would be unthinkable. I know I have said and done things that I wish I could take back, without the benefit of being able to call up anywhere near the amount of trauma you've suffered or at least been witness to.

But none of this changes the fact that as of Monday, you lost any remaining standing as a symbol for the re-birth of New Orleans. And make no mistake -- the re-birth of New Orleans and its environs is job #1 right now for you, and every other office holder in that region.

With your comments on Monday, you've injected a significant amount of poison into the well of good will that has been helping, and must continue to help, sustain the region's rebuilding efforts.

Read the posts here. See how many people have vowed to keep their dollars at home, or send them somewhere else. Look past the narrow-mindedness behind many of the posts -- don't get hung up on the fact that the posters are willing to damn every citizen living in New Orleans, and every citizen desperate to return to the city, for electing a "racist" mayor, even though there's nothing on the record (as far as I'm aware) that suggested you were a racist prior to Katrina's arrival. Puzzling yourself trying to figure out how your constituents were supposed to be able to see into the future is a pointless exercise.

Instead, read the comments for what they are, and understand what they represent: they are the heartfelt reactions of people who have been willing to help the city in its rebuilding, and they represent the loss of that spirit of friendship and partnership.

I'm not a New Orleanian -- I spent a year there in school, and I visit as often as possible, but I'm not a native. So maybe my thoughts don't count for much. But here's my advice to you: leave as soon as you possibly can. For the good of the city. Because while I will still come and spend my tourist dollars there, and while I will still order music and books and food and clothes from N.O. merchants online to support the rebuilding of their businesses and their lives, I don't matter. Not when for every one of me who is willing to keep in mind that this is about New Orleans and not Ray Nagin, there are ten or more people who can't get past you, and what you now represent to them.

Mr. Nagin, I truly don't believe you're a racist, anymore than I am. But I do believe that in the eyes of far too many who have the power to help your city if they so wish, you have tarred yourself with that brush.
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Terri from St. Bernard parish writes:

Please let this be heard.....

Mayor Nagin owes all the people of N.O. an apology. The comments he stated in his speech on M.L.K Day 1-16-06, was very offensive to the people of N.O with the exception of the African-American people. When this storm hit it did not only target the low income all black areas of N.O., it hit the entire city, including the surrounding parishes. Nagin needs to sit back, realize what he said and how he made the other people of N.O. feel. The comment of the city being a “chocolate city” is a very racist remark. Let me tell you something, everyone was effected by this storm, everyone lost life, everyone needs to rebuild, everyone needs the support of the government, not just the displaced African-American people. Not only is god mad, now he has the people of N.O mad. I don’t know who Nagin thinks he is, but he has no write to quote what he feels god thinks and does. This is unacceptable of a Mayor of a city to speak the words that he spoke, he owes us an apology.
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Pat Greene from Canyon Lake, TX writes:

Dear Editor of the Times-Picayune

This just keeps getting better and better. Let me see, your congressman is being accused of accepting bribes, and your Mayor is blaming God and doesn't particularly like white people, or Hispanics either I guess.

This should make those people in Washington sit up and take notice. Brilliant strategy to get more money from the taxpayers.

Now how in the world do people think New Orleans has a corrupt and dysfunctional political class? Try another editorial about how Louisiana’s political class is no worse then other states. That should make everybody happy. It’s good to know your editorial page will eventually address this madness.

Did I mention the “no-trailers in my district”, city council?

At least everybody made it safely back from looking at how sane people protect themselves. Bet those Dutch were impressed by Congressman Jefferson.

I think I am going to write a song about the “New” New Orleans. Keep up the good work.
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Rachel Orfila from Long Beach, CA writes:

I am a former resident of New Orleans, and a frequent visitor to the city. While Nagin chose the wrong words to make his point, New Orleans will not be the same place we have known and loved unless black people return to the city in great numbers. Instead of getting mad at Nagin and protesting FEMA trailers in their neighborhoods, white New Orleanians should be welcoming back the displaced black community with open arms. When I think of New Orleans, I remember things like jazz and second lines and creole cuisine, all of which owe their existence to African-Americans. Last I heard, there was also a crippling labor shortage in the city. Who do you think manned the cash registers and cleaned hotel rooms before Katrina? How is New Orleans going to revive the tourist industry without those workers? Save your outrage for FEMA and the NIMBYs instead.
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J E Boles of Portland, OR writes:

I applaud Mayor Nagin's celebration of African- American culture and blackness with his "chocolate city" remark, politically incorrect though it may be. It's high time somebody credited the unique achievements of the culture of New Orleans to the ethnic group which created them. Where does everybody think all that great music and food came from? Black pride is still in fashion.
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Lisa O'Neill from San Francisco writes:

While I do not agree with the way he said it, I think that Mayor Nagin had a very valid point about the African-American population returning to New Orleans. While I always feel its dangerous to try and interpret what "God wants," I know that New Orleans would not be New Orleans without all of the diverse people that make it what it is.

I was disappointed to see that so few African-American New Orleanians had returned when I went home just a few weeks ago. I'm also equally disturbed when I hear of what I see as ploys to keep them (particularly low income folks) away: not allowing folks back into public housing (even those units not flooded), bulldozing homes without attempts to contact the owners, evicting people from their places without their knowledge and leaving their items on the street. This is immoral behavior.

As for the comments of people about Nagin's racism, I'm pretty appalled. Especially because I now realize (as a white native New Orleanian) that racism against African-Americans is one of New Orleans biggest and most deeply rooted problems. Although Nagin's comments might have been misguided, they were not racist. Racism is prejudice plus power, which is not possible in a city where the power still rests mostly with white men.

My hope in all of this was and still is that we can all reach some greater understanding and work for a real community, one that is more accepting and inclusive than the New Orleans pre-Katrina.